Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part IV — Page 277
SuB-Footnote Number Three 277 the natural form bestowed upon him, both kinds of these capabilities continue to be subordinated to intellect. That is to say, these capabili- ties should be like subjects, and intellect should—like a just ruler—be occupied in fostering them, enhancing their beneficence, settling their conflicts, and resolving their difficulties. For example, there are times when one gets angry even though the occasion calls for forbearance; at such times, intellect, through its admonishment, restrains wrath and activates forbearance. At other times, wrath is required but forbearance comes into play. At such times, intellect rouses wrath and removes the interference of forbearance. In short, in-depth research has proven that man has been sent to this world with various capabilities, and the perfection of his nature lies in using all of these capabilities on their proper occasion—wrath where wrath is appropriate, and mercy where mercy is appropriate—and not to exercise forbearance on all occasions, leaving all other faculties sus- pended and unused. Of course, exercising forbearance, and indeed every other inherent capability, on its proper occasion, constitutes a virtue for man, but the tree of human nature, which God has divided into various branches—namely, its different capabilities—cannot be called perfect with the flourishing of just one branch. Rather, it would be called perfect only when all of its branches are lush and green and no branch exceeds or falls short of its appropriate size. Intellect clearly affirms the fact that it cannot be beneficial to apply this moral quality to forgive the mischief of the wicked at all times and on every occa- sion; the law of nature itself exposes the defect of such a notion. We observe that the True Planner has so ordained the order of the uni- verse that sometimes tenderness is required and at other times sever- ity is required; sometimes forgiveness is required and sometimes pun- ishment is required. If there was only tenderness or only severity, the whole system of the universe would be upset. Thus, it is proven that forgiving at all times and on every occasion is not a true virtue. Rather, to consider such a teaching to be perfect is the error of those whose insight does not penetrate the full depth of human nature and whose